That the voice of the ordinary supporter had been heeded as never before and could no longer be ignored by club boards and ruling authorities?

Yep, that bright new dawn. All of, what – eight or nine months ago? Certainly by the end of June last year, most SPL clubs had lined up to say that they were obliged to heed their supporters’ strongly held belief that the newco Rangers should not be admitted to the top division.

And those chairmen who wavered were soon brought to heel by threats from the fans of rival outfits to boycott visits to their grounds. “We have been contacted by supporters of other SPL clubs, saying they would not be back to Inverness if we did not accept that sporting integrity was what mattered,” said Kenny Cameron, of Caley Thistle, in a response typical of the prevailing mood.

Well, the voice of the fans was heard again this week and loud and clear it was, too – or so you’d think at first. As part of its root and branch reforms, the Scottish Football Association decided that it was vital to let the ordinary supporter have his or her say on the shape and direction of the game in Scotland.

On Tuesday the first ever Scottish National Football Survey – commissioned by the SFA – delivered its results, the most emphatic of which was that an overwhelming 87 per cent of those polled wanted a bigger top division than the 12-team SPL. Nor are the fans alone in that desire.

St Mirren favour a top league of 14 teams, as do Kilmarnock – those being the teams who won the Scottish Communities League Cup this season and last year – along with something like half the clubs in the lower divisions, including Rangers.

That would be Rangers, whose average home gate (even minus those season ticket holders who increasingly don’t bother to turn up), is greater than those of all the other Scottish Football League clubs combined.

But Rangers do not have a vote in the league reconstruction debate, so their volume of paying customers can go whistle. That presumably applies to Celtic supporters, assuming that the Parkhead directors have the pulse of their fanbase.

Certainly, in March 2012, Peter Lawwell said: “If we were asked our opinion on a 10, 12 or 14 team league we would see ourselves voting for a 14 as long as it’s a six and an eight.”

So, to be clear – almost nine out 10 fans polled by the SFA want a bigger top league, as do the two biggest clubs in the country, along with a substantial number of the others – but what is on offer, accompanied by bribes (sorry, redistribution revenues to SFL1) is a 12-12-18 setup.

Leaving aside the supporters’ preferences, there are other puzzles. Last week, in the aftermath of Scotland’s defeats in the World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Serbia, the SFA’s performance director, Mark Wotte, used his blog to state that the country’s seven regional performance schools are developing the most talented 12-year-olds who "in eight years' time…should be established players at their clubs and the best should form part of the national team”.

Really? When the proposed league reconstruction would allow clubs to stick seven senior players on the bench in the absence of an under-21 rule? When there are to be no quotas on home grown players?

Some will argue – like Neil Lennon – that if kids are good enough, they’ll be in the team. But at his club they will have to push through the throng of imports Celtic sign with the intention of selling on at a profit – which means playing the incomers as often as possible.

Note, also, that there will be a period of three years without substantive change, a timescale that fits perfectly with the notional timetable for Rangers’ return to the top league, where the 11-1 voting structure for big decisions will still be in place and the Old Firm can resume the protection of their own interests.

When fans felt strongly about keeping Rangers out of the SPL they were on the case in jig time. If the same volume of opinion was directed at boards and administrators now, it would unquestionably be heeded.

Last summer, a supporters’ representative hailed the SPL’s rejection of the Rangers newco with the words: “This is what happens when the fans speak.”

For all the heed that has been paid this time around, that statement should be amended to read – “when the fans squeak”.

Airse Sir Craig Broon? Here's hoping...

The venerable Craig Brown will be in charge of Aberdeen for the last time against Dundee United at Tannadice this weekend before taking up his next position as a Dons director. But could another distinction await?

Some in the game feel that the longest serving Scotland manager (1993-2001), who took the national side to the finals of a European Championship and World Cup, should be considered for a knighthood for services to football. And this column, having been asked for its support, throws its weight behind the proposal.

For a start, who would not like to be a fly on the Buck House wall when the Queen taps the sword on his shoulder, says: “Arise, Sir Broon” and follows up with her customary question – “And have you come far?”

To which Craig will surely reply: “Well, I started at Dundee when Bob Shankly was the manager. Now in those days Dundee were a power in the land – I actually won a league medal with them...”

Word of advice to Her Maj. If he starts on about the corner kick count in the Scotland v Morocco game at France '98, set the corgis on him.